Bushing for excavating bucket



May 21, 1968 G. E. STElL BUSHING FOR EXCAVATING BUCKET Filed July 25, 1965 United States Patet O 3,384,430 BUSHING FOR EXCAVATING BUCKET Gordon E. Steil, River Forest, 111., assignor to Page Engineering Company, a corporation of Iliinois Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,245 9 Claims. (Cl. 3tl8237) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSU A bearing for use in connecting a pull line to a dragline excavating bucket comprising a generally oblong body of malleable metal having a pair of openings for receiving a pin-like connection, characterized in that the openings are formed off-center with respect to the length and width of the body to provide a number of connecting points which is a multiple of the number of openings by inverting the position of the bearing in a socket in the dragline bucket.

This invention relates to a bearing means for a dragline bucket and more particularly to a new and improved bushing for providing a bearing surface at the connection of the pull line of the digging machine to the dragline bucket.

Dragline excavating buckets typically are loaded by pulling the bucket (open end forward) through the earth inwardly toward the cab of the excavating machine. Usually the cab is on a surface which is elevated relative to the surface being dug. Depending upon the soil being dug or the angle between the cab and surface at which the digging is being done, the efficiency or bite of the bucket may be changed. Often the direction of application of the pulling to the bucket relative to the center of gravity of the bucket governs the ability of the bucket to load properly. Typically only a slight adjustment is necessary at the connection of the pull line to the bucket to change the pull of the digging machine relative to the center of gravity of the bucket or to greatly improve the digging characteristic of the bucket in different types of digging conditions.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved bushing for the connection of a pull line of a dragline excavating machine to the dragline bucket.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a new and improved bushing means for a dragline excavating bucket which provides a readily and easily adjustable connection between the pull lines of the excavating machine and the bucket.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved bushing for a dragline excavating bucket which may be easily replaced to change the point of connection of the pull lines to the bucket and improve bucket performance.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pull line bearing means for a dragline excavating bucket having a plurality of mounting points positioned off-center relative to the body of the bearing to provide multiple connection points so that removal and inversion of the bearing in its opening in the bucket will provide still different points of connection between the pull line and the bucket.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

3,384,430 Patented May 21, 1968 FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a dragline excavating bucket showing portions of the pull line used therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the bushing of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the bushing of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view, partially in phantom outline, of the forward portion of the dragline excavating bucket shown in FIGURE 1 showing the bushing of this invention mounted in the bucket; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged section view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 1 showing the mounting of the bushing of this invention and the dragline bucket and the connection of a pull line clevis to the bushing.

The bushing 10 of this invention is intended for use with a dragline excavating bucket 12 to assist in the connection of the pull line or lines and the intervening pull chain 14 to the bucket. Two pull chains, one to each front side of the bucket are used. The dragline is provided with the usual lift chain 16 and dump control line 18 connected to the front of the bucket.

Typically the lift chain and dump lines are secured to a hitch (not shown) mounted at the lower end of a lift line (not shown) which is connected to the boom of the excavating machine. Pull chain 14 is connected at its opposite ends to a pull line (not shown) passing over a winding drum in the excavating machine for guiding and pulling the bucket 12. The bushing of this invention is particularly shown in an archless bucket; however, its use may equally be used in the conventional arch-type bucket.

Preferably the bushing is cast of a high manganese steel and no machining is performed thereon. The bushing preferably is made to fit into a symmetrical generally oval-shaped opening and is of a depth or thickness generally coextensive with the thickness of the bucket side walls, having two parallel sides 19a and 1912 joined by two rounded end portions 20a and 20b. The bushing is inserted in an opening 21 formed in the side wall of the bucket. It is contemplated that the opening 21 will be formed slightly undersize relative to, but have a generally mating configuration with, the external configuration of the bushing. In use, the bushing is inserted into the slightly undersize opening and driven therein with an appropriate instrument, such as a sledge hammer or the like.

The bushing is provided with a plurality of openings such as the two openings 22 and 24 which extend through the opposite faces 25a and 25b of the bushing. Both of these openings are located off-center relative to the length and width of the bushing in that their centers are located in a common centerline which is closer to side 1% than to side 1% and the opening 24 is closer to the end 20b than opening 22 is relative to end 2011. Each opening 22 and 24 has a slot 26 and 28, respectively, which extends from the opening through the side 19b of the bushing to provide a means for permitting the bushing to yield or deform or change in size as the bushing is driven into a restrictive opening, such as the opening 21. Each periphery of the bushing is cast with a chamfer 29 to aid in starting the bushing into an opening in the side wall plates of the bucket.

In use, the bushing is driven into the opening 21 so that the side 19a faces forwardly of the bucket to provide the largest section of metal (between the openings and side 19a) on that side of the bushing where wear will occur. The bushing will yield in size sufficiently to allow it to enter the opening. A clevis 30 on a pull line, such as chain 14, may be used to connect the line to the bucket by the provision of a bolt 32 which extends through aligned openings 34 in the clevis and one of the openings, such as 24, in the bushing and which has a nut 36 threaded on the free end to pivotally connect the pull line to the bucket. Since the pull on the bucket will be in the direction indicated by the arrows A in FIGURES 1 and 4, it can be seen that the pin 32 will bear against that side of opening 24 which has the greatest amount of metal between it and the side wall 19a of the bushing. If desired by the dragline owner, the bushing may be welded about its periphery after it has been wedged into place but this is not necessary to proper operation and use. The bushing cannot escape the opening into which it is placed once the clevis 30 is installed. Experience has indicated that any tacking Weld will crack during use, but this does not impair the efficiency of the bushing. Any weld metal may be simply burned out when the bushing needs replacing, such dragline machines generally having burning equipment readily available for such use.

Initially, the first bushing will be installed at the factory where the bucket is fabricated or manufactured. The bushing is subject to extreme wear, many dragline machines being operated around the clock continuously throughout the year. The large size of many buckets, up to 80 cubic yard capacity, attests to the very large pulling forces transmitted to the bucket in dragging it through soil, rock and other earth materials. The bushings generally need replacement before a bucket wears enough to require replacement so that many sets of bushings may be used in a single bucket during its life cycle.

The bushing, when in place in the bucket, provides as many different adjustments as there are openings, which, in the preferred embodiment, are two. Furthermore, the bushing may be knocked out of its opening 21 and turned upside down so that rounded end 20a and opening 22 are oriented on the bottom to provide two more relative locations to which the pull line may be afiixed to the bucket. Thus with one such bushing, wherein the openings are formed off center, there are at least twice as many adjustments possible in the connection of the pull line to the bucket as there are such openings. Thus the ease with which these bushings may be connected to the bucket, the several adjustments possible with each bushing as well as with the possibility of use of such several bushings, provides a simple, durable, easily adjustable bearing means for the connection of a control line to a drag line excavating bucket.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A bearing member for use in a dragline excavating bucket for connecting pull lines from a dragline excavating machine to the bucket, comprising: an elongate body of a malleable material having a generally oblong outer periphery and opposite side faces generally transverse to said periphery with a plurality of separate bearing openings extending through the opposite faces thereof for receiving a pin-like connection to secure a pull line to the bucket, each opening being formed on a separate axis, the axes of the openings lying along a line off-center relative to a longitudinal centerline of said body, and said body having means forming a slot between each opening and the adjacent outer wall permitting the body to contract its outer oblong wall configuration upon insertion into a slightly smaller mating opening in a dragline bucket.

2. The bearing member of claim 1 wherein said body oblong outer wall is symmetrical about central planes normal to each other extending through the body whereby the body may be inserted in a mating opening either end up.

3. The bearing member of claim 1 wherein said openings are aligned relative to the longitudinal extent of the body.

4*. A bearing member for insertion into an opening formed in the wall of a dragline excavating bucket slightly undersize relative to the bearing to provide bearing surfaces for connecting pull lines from a dragline excavating machine to the bucket in a pivotal fashion, comprising: an elongate generally oblong body of malleable material having opposite faces with a plurality of openings in the body extending through said opposite faces, each of said openings being formed about a separate axis, spaced from the other opening axes, the axes lying along a line offset relative to the length of said body.

5. The bearing member of claim 4 wherein said openings are also formed offset relative to the width of said body.

6. The bearing member of claim 5 wherein said body has an outer side wall generally oval in plan with two opposite relatively straight sides connected by opposite arcuate end surfaces, said openings being aligned relative to the longitudinal extent of the body and formed closer to the one straight side of said body than to the other straight side.

7. The bearing member of claim 6 wherein slots are formed in said one portion of the body communicating respectively with said openings and said outer straight side to provide means for permitting deformation of said bearing member as the body is driven into the undersize opening in the bucket.

8. A bushing for insertion into an opening formed in the Wall of a dragline excavating bucket slightly undersizerelative to the bushing to provide bearing surfaces for pivotally connecting pull lines from a dragline excavating machine to a bucket, comprising: an elongate oblong body of malleable material having a substantially symmetrical outer configuration with side and end walls, said bushing having opposite faces with a plurality of axially parallel openings in the body extending through the bushing and said opposite faces, said openings being aligned relative to the longitudinal extent of the body and formed closer to one side wall of the body than the other side wall and being formed closer to one end wall of the body than to the other end wall.

9. A bushing for insertion into an opening formed in the wall of a dragline excavating bucket slightly undersize relative to the bushing to provide bearing surfaces for pivotally connecting pull lines from a dragline excavating machine to a bucket, comprising: a bushing having a substantial thickness and an outer wall forming an oval outer configuration to the bushing, said bushing being generally symmetrical about a plane bisecting the bushing lengthwise of the oval outer wall permitting insertion of the bushing selectively in opposite positions into an oval-shaped mating opening; a plurality of pin-receiving holes extending through the bushing each opening formed on a separate axis, said openings being eccentrically located relative to said oval outer configuration both lengthwise and widthwise relative to said outer configuration; and means forming a stress relieving slot connecting each pin-receiving hole with the outer wall of the bushing nearest the periphery of the hole permitting the bushing to contract slightly upon being driven sideways into a bushing receiving opening slightly smaller than the bushing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,038,006 9/1912 Shaw 308-62 1,171,946 2/1916 Happensonk 30836.1 1,292,678 1/1919 Barrett 308-62 1,323,490 12/1919 Putnam 308-62 (Uther references on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Oliver 30862 Hufferd 308-62 Allen 3083 X 5 Gratzmuller 308237 X Smith 37135 Rigney 308-2 Fernberg 308-15 X Frank 30815 Thomas 308178 X Cramer 308178 X Martin 308-478 X MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Primary Examiner.

EDGAR W. GEOGHEGAN, Examiner.

L. L. JOHNSON, Assistant Examiner. 

